wer of the vessel in perfect order.

During her holiday the only form of war-work which she allowed herself
to do, except the mechanical one of knitting, was to help at a
railway-station canteen, which supplied free meals to all the soldiers
and sailors who passed through. The aunt whom she was visiting had the
entire responsibility for the free-refreshment-room for one of the
shifts for two nights in the week; her shift began at six and ended at
nine o'clock. Punctually at nine o'clock another member of the
canteen, or "barrow-fund," as it was called, took the responsibility
off her hands and kept it until two-thirty a.m. Margaret's aunt asked
her to take the place of a helper who had suddenly been telegraphed for
to see a wounded brother; who had just arrived at a hospital in
Edinburgh.

At the large station, a very important junction, the third-class
ladies' waiting-room had been given over to this energetic body of
women war-workers, who had converted it into an attractive
refreshment-room. Margaret was established behind the buffet in her
V.A.D.'s uniform. The wide counter in front of her was covered with
cups and plates, piled high with tempting sandwiches and bread and
butter, cakes and scones; immense urns, full to the brim with steaming
coffee and tea, gleamed brightly on a wide shelf behind her.
Everything was in readiness, and there were a few minutes to spare
before the first train was due, which would bring a bevy of hungry men
into the hospitable room. Margaret used those few minutes to make a
tour of inspection; she had to see that plenty of post-cards and
writing materials were in evidence on the centre table, that the
illustrated papers were conspicuously displayed. The barrow, or the
moving refreshment buffet, was already out on the platform; it served
the men who had no time to leave their carriages. It was winter, so
flowers were scarce, but hardly a night passed but there was a fresh
bouquet on the counter and table. The owners of large country-houses
saw to that. The dominoes and draught-boards had been forgotten;
Margaret put them on the table in the centre of the room. And then,
satisfied that all was right, she took up her position again behind the
counter. She was to be responsible for the serving of the tea and
coffee; the men helped themselves to the contents of the plates. Her
aunt attended to the tea and coffee urns, keeping them replenished and
their contents in good conditi